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THE 



CROSS AND ANCHOR ; 

WRITTEN FOR THE FAIR, IN AI5> OF 

THE MARINER'S CHURCH, 

PROVIDENCE, R. I. 

APRIL, 1844. 
BY MRS. EDWARD B.HALL. 



PROVIDENCE: 
B. CRANSTON AND COMPANY, 

1844, 



All of the following pieces, except two, have been 
written recently, and never before published. The 
author hopes she may be pardoned for presenting 
such trifles in any form to the public, in considera- 
tion of her strong desire to do something for an ex- 
cellent object. How much good is accomplished 
in any seaport by a Mariners' Church, needs not to 
be told at this day. 

She would respectfully inscribe her httle offering 
to the Rev. Edv^^ard T. Taylor, of Boston, on 
whom God has conferred the power of accomplish- 
ing great things, and who never despises small things. 






THE CROSS AND ANCHOR. 

I AM a sailor bold and true, 

And the storm 1 do defy ; 
I have sailed with many a dauntless crew, 

And the boldest of all was I. 

Maidens on shore, ask ye why ? 

For I trusted not in bone, nor limb, 

Nor in sail nor mast so high ; 
Though my mate was brave and I loved him. 

Think ye on him I did rely ? 

No, maidens, no ! I '11 tell ye why. 



4 THE CROSS AND ANCHOR. 

I had a dream on a stormy night, 
When the wind was wild and high : 

They bade me sleep, but my sleep was light, 
For I thought that mine hour was nigh ; 
And oh ! how I feared to die ! 

Hear ye the dream of the cabin boy. 
Just come from his mother's grave. 

Who had not a thought of hope or joy. 
Or a friend his youth to save, 
Or bid his soul be brave. 

I saw in my dream the stormy sea 
Covered with clouds and foam. 

And the wings of the night, it seemed to me, 
Came down like a mighty dome ; 
I shuddered, and thought of home. 

I thought of home, and the nightly prayers 
1 learned at my mother's knee. 



THE CROSS AND ANCHOR. 

And the Holy Book which ever bears 
A message, oh soul ! to thee, 
Whatever thy need may be. 

It came to my mind, who walked the sea, 
And the faith that bade the Apostle tread 

O'er the waves of Gahlee ; 

And deeper then o'er my sleeping head 
The mantle of dreams was spread. 

I saw, still saw, the ocean dark. 
And the breakers gleaming white ; 

And stranger far, from that half-wrecked bark, 
Ghttering fair with a wondrous light 
1 saw an unearthly sight. 

Mid the dim folds of mist and storm 

Close on our bows there arose 
Glimmering faintly, first, a form 

As of the spray the good ship throws, 

Along as she gaily goes. 



THE CROSS AND ANCHOR. 

Had it a shape ? I saw it plain ! 
And a silvery anchor there 

Floated upon the tossing main 

Like a lonely sea bird wild and fair, 
And the waves its weight did bear. 

Behind it, higher, stateher yet, 
In the bosom of darkest night. 

On the fiercely bounding sea was set. 
Calm and majestic in its might, 
A Cross of the purest hght ! 

Yes, it was there, and there it stood, 
Still 'mid the tempest, bright and still 

While o'er the billows loud and rude 
Glory streamed forth, as if to fill 

Earth with her God's bright will. 

On the tall unwavering Cross 

Trustingly leaned the Anchor there ; 
Higher than angry waves could toss. 



ICE-BOUND. 

Hanging above in radiant air 
Bethlehem's Star was shining fair ! 

Maidens, my secret now you know ; 

For my early dream comes ever back, 
And with a fearless heart I go 

On through the tempest's wildest rack. 

And the night is never black. 

For the silver Anchor ever leans 
On my Saviour's Cross of light ; 

My Bible tells what the vision means. 
My soul is fixed ! and my hope is bright 
As the Bethlehem Star that night ! 



ICE-BOUND, 

Ice-bound, ice-bound ! the ship is fa^ 

Upon a frozen shore ; 
I see no sails, nor rocks the mast. 

In vain the winds rush o'er. 



ICE-BOUNI>. 

Ice-bound, ice-bound, the sinner's heart 

Lies stiff within his breast ; 
I see no pulse within it start. 

And thinks he, this is rest ? 

Ice-bound, ice-bound, the good ship hes ; 

Was it for this she sailed ? 
O'er the blue sea her comrade flies. 

But here her keel is nailed. 

Ice-bound, ice-bound, the sinners soul 
Moves not one pace to heaven ; 

To Christians as the seasons roll 
A glorious fight is given. 

Ice-bound upon a dismal coast, 

Entrapped by early frost. 
Pressed round by winter's fearful host. 

Shall the good ship be lost ? 



WHAT IS IT ? 



Bound fast by icy chains of sin 

Oh ! mortal, shalt thou die ? 
Hast thou a hving soul within, 

And shall it frozen lie ? 

Now breeze of summer ! breath of May ! 

The frozen ocean burst ; 
The white ice heaves, it sails away ; 

The loosened ship goes first 1 

Now, softening mercy from above, 

Bid the soul's frost depart ! 
Send grace, thou pitying God of love ; 

Man melts, take thou his heart. 



WHAT IS IT? 

There is a something in my heart, 
A thought below all other thought, 

A something which will not depart, 
Be all the world against it brought. 



10 WHAT IS IT ? 

I go and come, I speak and walk, 

Through pain and pleasure I move on, 

With careless laugh and idle talk. 
But still that something is not gone. 

It wakes me in the dead of night, 
It checks me in the glare of day, 

Its grasp upon my soul is tight, 
I cannot struggle it away. 

All seeing God ! what can it be ? 

What is it, gracious Saviour, tell ! 
Nay, my own soul, I ask of thee. 

Search thou, and name the awful spell. 

It is, thank God ! by whom 'twas given, 
It is the strange mysterious voice 

That yet may call to bliss and heaven ; 
'T is waking conscience ! I rejoice. 

Yes, I rejoice ; I would be stung, 

'Till wholly roused from earth's vain dream ; 



THE CONFERENCE-ROOM. 11 

With penitence 1 would be wrung, 

'Till heaven's own peace before me gleam. 

Pursue me still, thou secret power ! 

Man cannot reach the depth within, 
Man cannot watch me hour by hour, 

Man does not tell me of my sin. 

Haunt me through life, thou voice of power ! 

Force me to think, and make me feel : 
Lest in life's brief and wasted hour. 

This spirit's lasting doom I seal. 



THE CONFERENCE ROOM. 

The night was black as black could be, 
The wind went raging o'er the sea. 
And midst the rigging while I clung 
The leaping spray was o'er me flung. 



12 THE CONFERENCE-ROOM. 

A stronger blast ! I grasped for life, 
And 'mid that loud and fearful strife, 
Was almost swept into the sea 
That yawned as if to swallow me. 
Life, life alone was all my care, 
And yet I knew that God was there. 

Beneath Calcutta's burning sun 
Fire through our fevered veins did run, 
The pestilence smote heart and brain, 
Cool waters slaked our thirst in vain. 
And haggard cheeks, and ghastly eyes, 
And broken groans, and homesick sighs. 
And hasty graves in jungle soil 
SUght dug at night by pagan toil, — 
Oh, these all gave me warning fair, 
And well I knew that God was there. 

But I was spared, and thoughtless came, 

In sin and folly still the same. 

Once more where Christian bells rung clear 



THE CONFERENCE-ROOM. 13 

A Sabbath summons once so dear ; 

A thought of childhood in me yearned, 

Unconsciously my steps 1 turned, 

Before me stood an open door, 

I paused, then stepped the threshold o'er ; 

The golden sun went down in pride. 

The twihght breezes faintly sighed. 

Few yet were there, but in each eye 
Was something solemn, fixed, and high ; 
And one by one as men came in 
They seemed to leave all care and din, 
And with an aspect calm and grave 
Sat each rough son of wind and wave. 
Then one arose and prayed aloud. 
With head upon his bosom bowed. 
And then a mournful hymn they sung ; 
On each sad note my spirit hung, 
For oh ! the burden still was sin. 
And conscience echoed it within. 



14 THE CONFERENCE-ROOM. 

Then spoke they all and told how life 

Had been all full of guilt and strife, 

Till by his own dread fate appalled, 

Or by a gracious Saviour called. 

Each had been humbled to the ground. 

And then a God of Mercy found. 

All breathlessly I heard them speak, 

I marked the tears on each rough cheek ; 

1 heard them speak — then all was hushed — 

Contrition o'er my bosom rushed, — 

My eager words it seemed to choke, — 

My sobs alone the stillness broke ; — 

When next they prayed I joined their prayer, 

For oh ! I felt that God was there ! 



16 



PRAYER. 

" It is safd that good and evil spirits hover about us ; the good 
are summoned to us by right thoughts ; the bad, by thoughts of 
evil." 

(mortal.) 

They say 't is wrong, 't is surely wrong ; 
But for this pleasure how I long ! 
My fancy doth so gaily paint — 
Shall I for once break all restraint ? 

(bad spirit.) 

Hark ! I am summoned ! by that thought 
Swift to some mortal am I brought ; 
Aye ! this is he, I mark his brow. 
He doubts, and I may tempt him now. 

(mortal.) 

No, no, 1 feel, 1 know 't is base, 
I could not yon bright heavens face ; 
And purer things 'till now I've loved, 
Let me by pure thoughts still be moved. 



16 PRAYER. 

(good spirit.) 

1 come, I come, some mortal frail 
With good thoughts calls, I will not fail 
Oh ! blushing youth, it was thy soul 
O'er which a virtuous impulse stole. 

(bad spirit.) 

How long, poor boy, wilt thou submit ? 
Are chains for eager spirits fit ? 
Doth not thy nature bid thee spring 
To seize delight upon the wing ? 

(good spirit.) 

What peace till now thy soul hath known ? 
What gentle dreams have been thine own ? 
How doth thine aged mother's eye 
Brighten whene'er thou drawest nigh ? 

(bad spirit.) 

Why shouldst thou not all pleasure clasp ? 
Who shall dissolve it in thy grasp ? 
Look, with what joy the world floats by, 
Glitters it not before thine eye ? 



PRAYER. 17 

(good spirit.) 

Gaze at yon heav'n ; what radiance thence 
Falls on the paths of innocence ! 
How with a straight and arrowy speed 
Up to the courts of God they lead ! 

(bad spirit.) 

Come, come, time wears, and lost in thought, 
Thou wastest hours with raptures frought ; 
How can ^ne step be worth such pause ? 
Break, timid youth, these cruel laws. 

(good spirit.) 

Hast thou not found the burden Ught ? 
Put each wrong thought at once to flight ; 
Pray ! for thou canst, and not as yet 
Shall the dark seal on thee be set. 

(mortal.) 
Oh fearful voices ! conflict wild ! 
My Father ! hear thy struggling child ; 
From this tried heart prayers full of love 
Ask help and blessing from above ! 
2 



18 THE SAILOK'^S TRUST. 

(three more gooi> spirits com-e and chant gently ROUNi> 

HIM.) 

While his knees s^o humbly bend, 
Angel voices we will blend ; 
While his broken prayer he brings^ 
We will shield him with our wings ; 
While in God he puts his trust, 
We will raise him from the dust. 
God has sent us, he is heard ; 
That weak voice the sky hath stirred. 
And when man doth kneel to pray, 
Evil spirits flee away. 



THE SAILORS TRUST. 

" Up, up ! ye white and glorious sails ! 
Filled by the unseen rushing gales 
Bear us across the ocean blue ! " 
Thus as I sung, our good ship flew. 
And in my heart those sails I thought 



THE sailor's trust. 19 

Were like my prayers, for 1 was taught 
Prayers waft the soul of man along, 
And in that thought my prayer is strong. 
Down heavy anchor ! hold us fast, 
Let us not drive before the blast ; 
Thick fogs sail by, but light shall break ; 
Thee until day our trust we make. 
Faith is thy anchor suffering soul ! 
Round thee dim mists of doubt may roll. 
Dark though thou be, trust still in Heaven, 
Ne'er from thy hold shalt thou be driven. 

Burn, steady star of northern skies ! 
O'er southern seas our white path lies, 
We catch no more thy well known ray. 
Doth not the needle still obey ? 
So doth the light of truth still gleam, 
Though wandering far the soul may seem ; 
So doth the conscience point us still 
Unerringly to God's high will. 



20 



THE MOTHER AND THE DEMON ; 

Founded on a legend told by one of the early fathers. 
(mother.) 

Oh fiend ! foul fiend, what hast thou done ? 

Hear me, I cry, and quit my son. 

Thou shall not glare from that fierce eye. 

Thou shall not rend him till he die. 

In agony my son I claim. 

And do adjure thee in God's name. 

Come out of him and let him rest 

That throbbing head upon my breast. 

(demon.) 

I will not quit this son of thine ; 
I rend him, for the youth is mine. 

(mother.) 

Oh, mercy, mercy ! can no tears 

Win back the child of hopes and fears. 

My boy ! he was so sweet and mild, 



THE MOTHER AND THE DEMON. 21 

I thought of angels when he smiled ; 
And now in manhood's early bloom, 
I wish him in the peaceful tomb. 
He suffers ! oh, that fearful shriek ! 
I dare not look, my limbs grow weak ; 
Spare him, dark fiend ! he's young and pure, 
Oh, why should he thy powers endure ? 

(demon.) 

Woman, begone ; this youth was thine. 
But I have won him, and he's mine. 

(mother.) 

Oh, fierce convulsion, bringing now 

Large drops of anguish on his brow ; 

I cannot bear it ; I would die 

Rather than hear that fearful cry. 

Whence com'st thou, fearful spirit whence ? 

How durst thou seize on innocence ! 

Who gave thee power to enter in 

And reign where never yet reigned sin ? 



22 THE PLEDGE. 

(demon, with a scornful laugh.) 

Vain woman ! know, thy spotless boy 
Went where thou dream'dst not, for his joy. 
Askest thou why I rule and rend ? 
Nay, rather ask who shall defend. 
When in my own domain I find 
And there my lawful prisoners bind. 
He 'mid the gamblers sat, and lo ! 
That gave me power to work him wo. 



THE PLEDGE. 

Founded on fact. 

Our brig went cutting through the sea, 
A bluer sky there could not be, 
And o'er the waters we were borne. 
We scarce knew how, that Sabbath morn, 
What did we, poor and unlearned crew ? 
The angels in those Heavens knew. 

LofC. 



THE PLEDGE, 23 

Dn the fore-castle did we meet, 
The tranquil Sabbath morn to greet, 
The first since we had left our port 
The dangers of the deep to court 
We did not join in revel there, 
We met to hear the voice of prayer. 

There was a paper in that ship — 
The cup it dashed from every lip ; 
For he who stood and prayed that day 
To each wild heart had found the way, 
And lo ! our names were written there 
In characters, some rude, some fair ; 
The Temperance man our deck had trod. 
And we were pledged; oh, thanked be Godi 

Then came we to a fearful place, 

Dur port, our home, for one month's space. 

And as we traversed street by street, 

What forms of evil did we meet ! 

We paused for rest, our friend still cried, 



24 THE PLEDGE. 

'' Oh, halt not yet, here dvvelleth pride.'" 

Another mansion then we sought, 

Still rung his words with warning fraught, 

" On, on, I say, the tempter's here ! 

" The wine cups gleam, pass on with fear." 

We paused again, " oh no ! not yet,, 

" The giddy dancers here are met.'^ 

A fair house next that blazed with light 

Our weary feet delayed — but bright 

His eye flashed still a warning true, 

" On, on ! with dice we've naught to do." 

And then another mansion rose, 

But out came sounds of strife and blows ; 

And then another, where again 

The wine cup tempted us in vain, 

We shuddered at the wild carouse,. 

The hot sun beat upon our brows, 

But on we went in weariness. 

Man's scorn laughed out, but none the less 



THE PLEDGE. 25 

The Temperance sailor firmly trod, 
And felt within the smile of God I 

A lone and lowly room we found, 
A widow owned it, and no sound 
Or sight unholy dwelt therein ; 
We shrunk from that great city's sin, 
And there, a small, meek brother-band, 
We grasped each other's toil worn hand ; 
We humbly dwelt in frugal peace, 
While night and morning without cease 
We sung our hyms, and prayers went up 
For him who saved us from the cup. 



26 



THE PEARL DIVER'S SONG, 

Down, down to the depths of the sea, 
With a fearless plunge I go, 

Down to the realms ye ne'er may see, 
By a path ye cannot know. 

Sun ! shine bright in the high blue sky ! 
Winds ! o'er the curling billows fly ! 
Far from the light and air of day 
Lieth my dark and trackless way. 
O'er my head the green waves close, 
Yellow the light around me grows. 
Ringing and rushing sounds I hear, 
Down to a darker realm I steer. 
Upwards and downwards shooting by 
Numberless creatures 1 descry, 
Busy with fin and glittering fair. 
Winging their way like birds in the air. 



THE PEARL DIVER's SONG. 27 

Deeper I sink, and phantoms strange 
Through the dim depths half formless range, 
Creatures the upper sea ne'er knew, 
Shapes such as fancy never drew. 
Balanced awhile I wait and quake 
Till welters along the huge sea-snake, 
Till looking on me with stony eye, 
Monsters unnamed go rolling by. 

I have scaped the shark's wide gaping jaw, 
I have broken unscathed the mighty law, 
Here, on old ocean's bed of sand 
Hurtless a living man 1 stand. 
Where the winds of Heaven never blew. 
Where the gentle skies ne'er dropped their dew, 
Where an awful calm and stillness reign. 
And strange dim lights the waters stain. 
Where the foot of man hath never trod. 
Pacing the firm white sand unshod, 
I pluck from the rock the clinging shell 
That bears the pearl in its rough dark cell- 



28 THE PEARL DIVER's SONG. 

1 stay not to wander mid coral groves 

Where the green haired mermaid singing roves, 

I stay not to look on mouldering bones, 

And the thousand wrecks the ocean owns. 

The pearl, from its home beneath the waves, 

The pearl from the depth of the ocean caves, 

The pure white pearl in triumph I bear 

To the joyous realms of light and air ! 

Up, up to the realms above. 

Up to the summer sun I love. 

Where my dripping limbs that sun shall dry. 

And the winds of earth a welcome sigh. 

I look on the light my glad eye craves. 

Proudly I ride the bounding waves, 

Bearing my treasure, and hke a dream 

The sunless realms I have visited seem. 

So shall the beams of Heaven break 
On the soul that wins that glorious stake, 
On the soul no syren could entice, 



ON FOREVER. 29 

That hath sought and found the pearl of price, 
And longs from its weary task below 
Up to its home of light to go. 



ON FOREVER. 

Winds of the sky ! ye hurry by 

On your strong and busy wings, 
And your might is great, and your song is high, 

And true is the tale it sings. 

" On, on, forever and aye ! 

" Round the whole earth lieth our way, 

" On, on, for we may not stay." 

Murmuring stream ! hke a soft dream 

Goest thou steahng along, 
Pausing not in the shade or gleam. 

And this is thy ceaseless song. 



30 ON FOREVER. 

«' On, on, forever and aye ! 

*' Down to the deep lieth my way, 

" On, for I may not stay." 

Queen of yon high and dim blue vault. 

Gliding past many a star, 
'Mid their bright orbs thou dost not halt, 

And a voice comes down from thy car. 

" On, on, forever and aye ! 

" Round the whole earth lieth my way, 

" On, for I may not stay." 

Thoughts of my mind, ye hurry on, 

Whence ye do come I may not know, 
But from my soul ye straight are gone 

In a ceaseless, ceaseless flow. 

" On, on, forever and aye ! 

" By a behest we must obey, 

" On for we may not stay." 



ON FOREVER. SI 

Man may not stay ! there is no rest 

On earth for the good man's foot, 
He should go forth on errands blest, 

And toil for unearthly fruit. 

On, on, forever and aye ! 

Idle not precious hours away, 

On, for ye may not stay ! 

Sit ye not down in sloth's dark bower^ 

Where shades o'er the spirit fall, 
Pause not to wreath the sunny flower 

That is worn in pleasure's hall. 

On, on, forever and aye ! 

Duties spring up along your way. 

Do good — ^for ye may not stay i 



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